Recipes, DIY, travel, health, random lifestyle thoughts & more.
Author: Alphe
After over 6 years of doing my lessons every single day, I finally finished the Spanish course on Duolingo. It was one of my New Year’s Resolutions for 2025, and on October 8th, I reached my goal. In this post, I will tell you what happens when you finish a course on Duolingo, and whether you can learn a language on Duolingo alone. I will also share my thoughts about the popular app, and my learning journey.
Continue reading “I Finished The Duolingo Spanish Course – My Honest Thoughts”
We may be in between two festive periods – Halloween and Christmas – but it’s never a bad time for a generic crafty project. This time, I completed yet another cross stitch piece from an assorted kit, depicting a floral cat. I got it in TKMaxx, like most of the assorted craft kits, and for around £2. It was a good use of money – kept me busy for a couple of hours!
Continue reading “DIY Mini Cross Stitch Kit – Floral Cat”
You may remember a few recent posts about my hikes in the Polish Tatra Mountains from my summer holiday. Today, I’d like to share with you a few places and activities to do in Zakopane on a non-hiking day. Some of them are also a great option for a rainy day, which isn’t a rare occurrence in the mountains. Here’s a few things to do in Zakopane, including food options, viewing points, a mini zoo, and more.
Continue reading “A Chill Day In Zakopane Poland – Gubalowka, Krupowki, ZOO – Tatra Mountains”
Happy Halloween, almost! The spooky day is tomorrow, and what could be a better way to celebrate it than completing a themed, Halloween DIY project. This time, I had just the perfect one – I completed a cross stitch design featuring a classic Jack-o’-lantern. The final result looks cute, but cross stitching it wasn’t plain sailing. It turned out to be yet another assorted cross stitch kit with insufficient supplies. Luckily, I managed to figure out a solution.
Continue reading “DIY Mini Cross Stitch Kit – Pumpkin – Halloween Crafts”
Happy Halloween week! Today, I’m coming with my most recently completed crochet project – a cute ghost with a pink bowler hat. One of my New Year’s Resolutions for 2025 was to learn to crochet, and I think it’s going well. I bought an assorted DIY set with the pattern and all supplies, so it’s not my original design. But, if you’re a seasoned crocheter, I’m sure you can still take inspiration from this design. It definitely put my beginner skills to test, but overall, I think it was a success!
Continue reading “DIY Crochet Set – Ghost With A Hat – Halloween Crafts – Learning To Crochet”
I love trying out various creative projects all year round, but I enjoy it even more around the holidays – a themed, seasonal project just feels that little bit better. I always check out the seasonal aisles in craft stores, and this year, two similar sets caught my attention: one for making a wooden pumpkin (bought in the Works), and one for making a miniature wooden haunted house (purchased in Hobbycraft). I recently completed both projects – here is how it went!
Continue reading “Wooden DIY Halloween Craft Sets – Pumpkin, Haunted House”
I’ve been on a cross stitching journey for almost two years now, but it was only a couple of months ago when I first discovered half stitching. In Hobbycraft, I saw this assorted DIY kit for making an embroidered case for glasses, using a half stitching technique. I was intrigued! I loved the idea of trying a fun variation of traditional cross stitching, and I particularly loved the idea of making a functional item in the process. I bought the kit, and recently got around to sewing my embroidered sachet with a colourful forest design. It was really fun and satisfying, and I love the final result!
Continue reading “DIY Half Stitch Kit – Glasses Case – Mushroom”
You may remember a few recent posts about my hikes in the Tatra Mountains – I went on a hiking holiday to my home country, Poland. Today, I’d like to share the final hike from that trip. It was our last day of the holiday, and the longest hike we’ve done. We went to Dolina 5 Stawow, Zawrat, and Morskie Oko – some of the most popular destinations in Polish mountains. It was a long and tiring hike, but the views were spectacular. We even managed to see some of the elusive, protected animals in the national park!
Continue reading “Zawrat, Dolina 5 Stawow And Morskie Oko Hike – Tatra Mountains – Poland”
After an incredibly generous summer, we’ve now seen a few autumnal weeks here in London. This time of year, I’m particularly drawn to soups. There’s something comforting about a bowl of warming, well seasoned soup. Today, I’d like to share with you my recipe for tomato and basil soup. In a basic version, it’s the most flavourful, delicious tomato and basil soup I’ve had. Add a couple more ingredients, and it turns into a rich, creamy meal rich in protein and fibre. I made this soup when I was feeling a bit under the weather and it really hit the spot. Perfect for cold, rainy days!
Continue reading “High Protein Tomato And Basil Soup – Comfort Meals For Winter”
A couple of weeks ago, I had an opportunity to visit Switzerland for the very first time. One of my best friends, whom I met in London, got married in her home country ‐ specifically, in Bellinzona, a town in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. I was able to explore Bellinzona for a few hours, and I loved it – the views were stunning, the town is beautiful, and I even found a cute cat to pet. I also ate in a Michelin star restaurant for the first time in my life. Here’s how I spent an afternoon in Bellinzona, Switzerland.
Continue reading “An Afternoon In Bellinzona, Switzerland – Castles, Michelin Star Lunch”
Alphe's Corner 